The present invention concerns a hsider which is intended for storing loose* objects and which comprises a body part and a plura ity of fixing members consisting of flexible, iate-like bodies ben to arcuate shape and which by the aid of engaging members an their ends have- been fixed in a slot or equivalent in the body pa in 3uch manner that the fixing members are disposed side by side with their sides leaning against each other, whereby an object ma be fixed in the holder by pushing it in between two mutually adjacent ixing, members.

A holder of said type has been disclosed in the Finnish Patent application No. 7.2486. A holder of this type is particularly appropriate to be kept on a table or attached on a wall, and a great variety of small things may be kept therein, especially too and sports articles, but also for instance pens, knives, brushes, towels, garments, etc. The fixing of an abject in the holder is accomplished by pushing the ob ect in between two mutually adjace ^• fixing members, whereby in the fixing members the sides are press closer together, that is, the space required for the object is provided from the free spaces between the sides of the fixing members.

The object of the present invention is to provide a holder in whi the pressing force acting on the object kept therein has been so enhanced that the holder is suited for storing objects of larger size than before. The holder of the invention is characterized in that inside each fixing member bent to arcuate shape is placed a separate bracing member consisting of an elastic body bent to arc ate shape, the sides of which lean against the inner sides of the fixing member so that the bracing member increases the pressing force acting on the object fixed in the holder.

The holder of the invention is primarily intended to be fixed on the wall of a store-room, a closet or a shed for sports articles.

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Particularly tools of large size, such as spades, rakes or equiv ent, and skis, in particular wide slalom skis, are suited to be ixed in the holder. In addition, it is possible to modify the holder to serve as a ski rack to be mounted e.g. on the roof of car.

The bracing member belonging as a part to the holder of the invβ tion consists advantageously of a plate-like body bent to arcuat shape and having a length approximately 1/2-3/4 of the length of the plate-like body constituting the fixing member. The bracing member is preferably separate from the fixing member and fixed b the aid of engaging members an its ends, in the same slot in th body part of the holder as the fixing member.

The invention is described in the following more in detail by t aid of an example, referring to the drawing attached, wherein:-

Fig. i presents a holder according to the invention,

Fig. 2 presents the fixing member belonging to the holder of Fi 1, and

Fig. 3 presents the bracing member belonging to the holder of Fi 1.

In Fig. 1 is depicted a holder 1 according to the invention, in tended particularly to be fixed on a wall, and which is suitabl e.g. for storing skis or tools of large size. The holder 1 comp es an elongated body part 2 with holes 3 for fixing screws. The body part 2 has an elongated aperture 4 with flange-like border on its longitudinal sides, these borders holding in place the fixing members 6 and bracing members 7 of the holder. The ends the body part 2 have been shaped into brackets 8, against which outer sides of the outermost fixing members of the holder lean.

The ixing members 6 belonging to the holder 1 are elastic plat like bodies, preferably made of plastic, which in the holder ar bent to arcuate shape as seen in Fig. 1. In Fig. 2, a loose fix

member 6 is presented in top view. Those parts of the fixing memb 6 which form its outside when it is bent have elongated eminences provided to the purpose of increasing the ^{^} friction of rest betwee the fixing members and the object inserted therebetween, and thus to aid in keeping the object in place. The ends 10 of the fixing member 6 have been designed to be engaging members, comprising notches 11 which fit together with the flange-like borders 5 of t aperture in the body part 2.

The bracing members 7 belonging to the holder are likewise elasti plate-like bodies made preferably of plastic and inserted in the holder after bending to arcuate shape, as seen in Fig. 1. As .can seen in Fig. i, the fixing members 6 and the bracing members 7 ha been so arranged in the holder that inside each fixing member is disposed a bracing member, its outer sides leaning against the inner sides of the fixing member. The function of the bracing members 7 is to enhance the pressing force acting on the object i the holder between the fixing members ά .

In Fig. 3 is presented a loose bracing member 7, in top view. The bracing member 7 comprises a rather rigid central part 12 having greater thickness than any other parts of the bracing member} part 13 on both sides thereof, which when the bracing member is bent to arcuate shape constitute its sides} and ends 14 which have been shaped into engaging members similarly as the ends 10 of the fixin members 6. It is thus understood that the ends 14 of the bracing member 7 have notches IS which fit onto the flange-like borders 3 of the aperture in the body part of the holder.

The fixing members 6 and bracing members 7 affixed to the body par 2 are characterized in that they are stressed against each other and are able to move in the longitudinal direction of the body part. In the case depicted in Fig. 1, the holder comprises five fixing members _ with bracing members 7 disposed therein, but by increasing the stress between the fixing members and the bracing members it would be possible to accommodate even more fi ing mem¬ bers and bracing members in the same body part 2. The attaching of the fixing and bracing members to the body part 2 is carried out b

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first placing the members one within the other, both bent to arcu ate shape, so that their ends 10,14 are in register, by arranging free space in the aperture 4 in the body part 2 for the members t be mounted, by placing the members in said space in transversal position, and finally turning the members so that the notches 11, an their ends become locked with the flange-like borders 5 of the aperture. Detaching the fixing member 6 and the bracing member 7 therewithin from the body part 2 of the holder is carried out by equivalent steps in reversed order.

Fixing an object to be stored in the holder 1 is simply accomplis ed by inserting the object between the sides of two mutually adj cent fixing members 6. Since at the fixing of the object the sid of the fi ing members 6, and those of the bracing members 7 ther in, are urged closer to each other and are in addition free to m the whole length of the aperture 4, with reference to the body p 2, it is possible to place in the holder solitary objects even o very large size. The removal of an object which is in the holder accomplished simply by pulling It out.

It is obvious to a person skilled i n the art. that various embodi ments of the invention are not confined to the example presented but may vary within the scope of the claims following below. For instance, the aperture 4 in the body part 2 of the holder may be narrower than shown, or it may be replaced by one or more rail-li members on which the engaging members of the fixing members 6 an bracing members 7 may lock. The shape and length of the bracing members 7 in proportion to the length of the fixing members 6 ma also vary, although the length of the bracing members is prefera about 1/2-3/4 of the length of the fixing members when the membe are loose as in Figs 2 and 3. The shape of the entire holder and the number of fixing and bracing members belonging thereto, and consequently the intended use of the holder, may also vary. It i thus possible in accordance with the principles of the invention construct storing and transport stands e.g. for plate-like bodie of large size, such as glass panes, in which the plates are clamped on several sides in the interspaces of fixing and bracin members as taught by the invention.

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